Backups

CSE Backup Policy

What, When and Where

Backups should be regularly taken of all CSE user data, files, and directories to guard against loss of such data, files, or directories:

Up to 10Mb of user files that have changed will be stored per user, per day. These incremental archives should be kept for at least 6 months.

A full backup of all files and directories in a user's home directory will be stored per user, per month; These full backups should be kept for
at least two years while the user's account is active, and the last such backup should be kept for at least seven years after the account has expired.

Media Storage

Media containing CSE backups should only be stored in secure areas (ie: In rooms and/or facilities not generally accessible to the public)

At least two separate secure areas should be used to store backup media:

A primary backup storage area in which most of the archival media is stored

A separate and distinct storage area (preferably offsite) in which only the most recent archives are stored. Specifically this should include:

All so-called "Offsite archive" tapes;

The most recent session backup tapes;

All snapshot tapes apart from the current set being written to.

This recent storage area is intended to guard against a catastrophic loss of the primary backup storage area and the media stored therein.